65K Arlington Graves May Have Problems: Army

The mother of a soldier killed in Afghanistan, left, embraces the wife of a soldier killed in Afghanistan in Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., Dec. 16. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

(Newser)
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After a meticulous, year-long survey of graves at the Arlington National Cemetery, Army investigators have discovered some discrepancy with 65,000 of them—one quarter of all the graves at the military site. Many problems may be minor, including typographical errors in paperwork, reports theWashington Post. Some of them may be linked to more serious issues, such as misplaced bodies, but how extensive the problem is won't be known until the daunting study is completed. An accounting of each grave was ordered by Congress after an Army probe found mismarked or unmarked graves, unearthed urns, and a mysterious mass grave.

Now each gravestone has been photographed and cataloged, and investigators are matching the details to some 500,000 paper records scanned into the survey's computer system. Certain older sections of the cemetery are proving to be especially problematical. A map of an area for slaves and black Civil War soldiers, for example, shows 70 graves that don't currently exist. “Historically the records and grounds in these sections were not maintained to the same standards as the rest of the cemetery,” the survey report states. The final review is expected to take months. (Read more Arlington National Cemetery stories.)

Government employees falsifying thousands of documents? Almost routine with no double checks or verification? This is the look of not surprised. Working gets in the way of their drugs and liquor.

pacnwjeff

Dec 23, 2011 10:36 AM CST

This is terrible and somebody should fry over this. I can understand the old records not being good but that should have been documented and corrected years ago. Like another reader said it is a one time thing. You put one body in one place one time. My flippin dog can remember where he buries his bones! Arlington is often reserved for some of our more outstanding "heroes". That they are placed in the care incompetent government welfarfe recipients appals me.

Reader587

Dec 23, 2011 10:04 AM CST

I was there two years ago looking for the burial location of a friend. They pulled out ancient rolls of large paper, scribbled notes, etc. I was shocked to learn that this was not in a database or a system of some kind. Now we are seeing just how screwed up the whole place really is...more government issues.